Ask A Scientist General Science Archive

Author:     ranger
Text:       How much does the average cloud weigh?

Response #:  1 of 2
Author:      Robert Topper
Text:        In order to say how much the average cloud weighs, we would need 
to know its average volume and its average density in units of mass/volume; 
then mass = volume x density.  Unfortunately I do not have that data, but it 
is an interesting question.

Response #:  2 of 2
Author:      Ronald Winther
Text:        According to a meteorology text I have, the water content 
(density) of clouds varies quite a bit, from about 1/10 gram per cubic meter 
to over 5 grams per cubic meter.  It is even harder to come up with an 
"average" cloud volume, as this varies even more widely than water content.  
Nonetheless, let us use Dr. Topper's formula (see response #1 to this 
question) to get at least a rough order-of-magnitude estimate.  We can model 
the cloud as a sphere of, say, 1 kilometer radius.  This gives a volume of 
about 4 billion cubic meters.  Then if we use 1 gram per cubic meter as a 
"representative" water content, we get an estimate for the mass of the cloud 
of 4 billion grams, or 4 million kilograms.